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The Library of Congress has named an eclectic mix of pics to the National Film Registry for 2004, including the 1951 civil defense film “Duck and Cover,” Andy Warhol’s eight-hour experimental “Empire,” William Wyler’s “Ben-Hur,” David Lynch’s “Eraserhead,” Steven Spielberg’s “Schindler’s List” and Clint Eastwood’s “Unforgiven.”

The institution chooses 25 “culturally, historically or aesthetically” significant films to add to the registry each year, with 2004 entrants bringing the total number to 400.

Latest selections span 1909 to 1993 and “encompass films ranging from Hollywood classics to lesser-known but still vital works,” the Library of Congress said in a statement Tuesday. The pics, it added, aren’t necessarily either “the best” or “the most famous.”

Avant-garde documentary “A Bronx Morning” was filmed by Jay Leyda in 1931 when he was 21 and won him a scholarship to study with Soviet filmmaker Sergei Eisenstein.

The Librarian of Congress James H. Billington, his motion picture staff and the members of the National Film Preservation Board evaluated nearly 1,000 titles.

The Library of Congress said it works to ensure that each film named to the registry is preserved. It said 50% of films produced before 1950 and 80%-90% of films made before 1920 “have disappeared forever.” More films are lost each year through the nitrate deterioration, color-fading and “vinegar syndrome,” which threatens acetate-based film stock on which most pics are reproduced.

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The Library of Congress has named an eclectic mix of pics to the National Film Registry for 2004, including the 1951 civil defense film “Duck and Cover,” Andy Warhol’s eight-hour experimental “Empire,” William Wyler’s “Ben-Hur,” David Lynch’s “Eraserhead,” Steven Spielberg’s “Schindler’s List” and Clint Eastwood’s “Unforgiven.” The institution chooses 25 “culturally, historically or aesthetically” significant […]

The Library of Congress has named an eclectic mix of pics to the National Film Registry for 2004, including the 1951 civil defense film “Duck and Cover,” Andy Warhol’s eight-hour experimental “Empire,” William Wyler’s “Ben-Hur,” David Lynch’s “Eraserhead,” Steven Spielberg’s “Schindler’s List” and Clint Eastwood’s “Unforgiven.” The institution chooses 25 “culturally, historically or aesthetically” significant […]

The Library of Congress has named an eclectic mix of pics to the National Film Registry for 2004, including the 1951 civil defense film “Duck and Cover,” Andy Warhol’s eight-hour experimental “Empire,” William Wyler’s “Ben-Hur,” David Lynch’s “Eraserhead,” Steven Spielberg’s “Schindler’s List” and Clint Eastwood’s “Unforgiven.” The institution chooses 25 “culturally, historically or aesthetically” significant […]

The Library of Congress has named an eclectic mix of pics to the National Film Registry for 2004, including the 1951 civil defense film “Duck and Cover,” Andy Warhol’s eight-hour experimental “Empire,” William Wyler’s “Ben-Hur,” David Lynch’s “Eraserhead,” Steven Spielberg’s “Schindler’s List” and Clint Eastwood’s “Unforgiven.” The institution chooses 25 “culturally, historically or aesthetically” significant […]

The Library of Congress has named an eclectic mix of pics to the National Film Registry for 2004, including the 1951 civil defense film “Duck and Cover,” Andy Warhol’s eight-hour experimental “Empire,” William Wyler’s “Ben-Hur,” David Lynch’s “Eraserhead,” Steven Spielberg’s “Schindler’s List” and Clint Eastwood’s “Unforgiven.” The institution chooses 25 “culturally, historically or aesthetically” significant […]

The Library of Congress has named an eclectic mix of pics to the National Film Registry for 2004, including the 1951 civil defense film “Duck and Cover,” Andy Warhol’s eight-hour experimental “Empire,” William Wyler’s “Ben-Hur,” David Lynch’s “Eraserhead,” Steven Spielberg’s “Schindler’s List” and Clint Eastwood’s “Unforgiven.” The institution chooses 25 “culturally, historically or aesthetically” significant […]

The Library of Congress has named an eclectic mix of pics to the National Film Registry for 2004, including the 1951 civil defense film “Duck and Cover,” Andy Warhol’s eight-hour experimental “Empire,” William Wyler’s “Ben-Hur,” David Lynch’s “Eraserhead,” Steven Spielberg’s “Schindler’s List” and Clint Eastwood’s “Unforgiven.” The institution chooses 25 “culturally, historically or aesthetically” significant […]